Wire-bound box.



L. G. & R. STEELE. WIRE BOUND BOX. APPLIQA'IION FILED APR. 5, 191s.

Patented J an. 5, 1915.

Q wye THE NORRIS PETERS CO PHOTO LITHQ. WASHINGION. D. C

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LEE C. STEELE, 0F PLYMOUTH, AND ROSCOE. STEELE, OF NORTH MANCHESTER, INDIANA.

WIRE-BOUND BOX.

Application filed April 5, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LEE C. STEELE and RoscoE STEELE, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Plymouth and North Manchester, in the respective counties of Marshall and Wabash and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire-Bound Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates generally to an improvement in boxes of the wire bound type, and particularly to a reinforcing means designed for independent application to the sides, bottom, and top of the box, which means are constructed to present a relative endwise bearing, and to interlock, when the parts are assembled in box forming relation, thereby preventing relative endwise movement or lateral twisting of the sections.

The main object of the present invention is the provision of a specific form of cleat, designed to be secured to the sides, bottom, and top of the box, and disposed in relatively reverse positions on the top and bottom with respect to their positions on the sides, each of said cleats having beveled ends, and including a relatively narrow rib, whereby in the box forming relation of the sections the beveled ends of the cleats will inter-fit for endwise bearing, and the ribs will interlock to prevent twisting of the sections.

The invention in its preferred form of details will be described in the following specification, reference being had particularly to the accompanying drawlngs, 1n which Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the improved construction. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the improved reinforcing cleat.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawings, the improved box, in the preferred mode of construction, comprises the usual shook including the bottom 1 and sides 2 of the box, connected in assembled and hinged disposition by the usual binding wires 3 secured in position by staples 4:. The top 5 corresponds to the bottom 1 and is provided on its upper surface with tie wires 6, secured thereto in any suitable man nor, the ends of the tie wires being intertwisted to form eyes 8, for a purpose which will later appear.

The above described construction is the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 5, 1915. Serial No. 759,214..

usual one in this type of box, and it is to be understood that by such description, and by the illustration thereof, we intend to des gnate any type of box constructed to which the improved reinforcing cleat may be applied.

The salient feature of the present inventlon resides in a reinforcing cleat, designed to be duplicated in required number, and apphed to the sides, bottom, and top of the box, the cleats being constructed and arranged for interfitting and interlocking.

The improved cleat, which is illustrated more particularly in Fig. 2 of the drawings, comprises a strip of suitable material, preferably wood, having what may be termed its relatively outer edge 9 coextensive in length with the width of the particular section of the box with which it is designed to cooperate. The strip is of sufiicient thickness to provide the necessary strength, and the respective ends thereof are beveled at 10, on a angle. The relatively inner edge 11 of the strip is provided with a rib or tongue 12 of approximately one-half the width or thickness of the strip. One side edge of the tongue is coincident with one side edge of the strip, constituting what will be hereinafter termed the plain edge of the strip, the reduced width of the tongue as compared with that of the strip, forming a shoulder 13 on the opposite side of the strip.

The cleats are secured to the respective ends of the sides, bottom, and top, and are arranged in reversely disposed pairs on such parts. That is to say, the cleats will be secured to the sides of the box with their plain edges approximately alined with the end edges of such sides, while the cleats as secured to the top and bottom are arranged with their plain edges inwardly, or their shouldered edges in alinement with the end edges of the top and bottom. As thus secured, in folding the sections of the shook into box forming relation, it will be noted that the beveled ends 10 of the respective cleats on the sides and bottom will bear squarely against one another, while the tongue 12 of the bottom cleat will interlock in rear of the tongues 12 of the side cleats. The ends 14 of the box are secured in place by arranging said ends in contact with the surfaces of the cleats remote from the end edges of the sides and bottom, the cleats forming a substantial portion against which the ends will accurately fit and to which they may be nailed or otherwise secured. The top, when applied in the usual manner, Will rest in such position that the beveled ends of the top cleats will bear squarely against the beveled upper ends of the side cleats, while the ribs 12 of the top cleats will interfit in rear of the ribs or tongues 12 of the side cleats, as will be plain from Fig. l of the drawings. The top is secured in place by passing the projecting ends '15 of the terminals of the wires 3 through the eyes 8 of thetop tie wire, and securing said terminals in any appropriate manner. As thus constructed, it will be understood that the end of the box is provided with top, bottom and side cleats having their meeting ends snugly and squarely interfitting and having their projecting ribs or tongues interlocking, it being understood that the width of the tongue is approximately one-half the similar dimension of the maximum width of the cleat, whereby the interfitting tongues snugly fit, being braced against inward movement by the end walls of the box.

What is claimed is 1. A box including sides, top, bottom and ends, cleats secured to the sides, top and bottom having beveled ends and a longitudinal flange terminating beyond the plane of the beveled ends, the cleats being disposed in alternating positions whereby the beveled ends will abut and the ends of the flanges will overlap in interlocking relation, and means for securing the ends to the cleats.

2. A box including sides, top, bottom and ends, cleats secured to the sides, top and bottom having beveled ends and a longitudinal flange flush with one side of the cleat and extending beyond the plane of the beveled ends, the cleats being disposed in alternating relation wherebv the beveled ends will abut and the ends of the flanges will overlap in interlocking relation, and means for securing the ends to the cleats.

3. A box including sides, top, bottom and ends, cleats secured to the sides, top and bottom having beveled ends and a longitudinal flange flush with one side of the cleat and extending beyond the plane of the beveled ends, the flange ends being at right angle with relation to the base of the cleat, the cleats being disposed in alternating relation, whereby the beveled ends will abut and the ends of the flanges will overlap in interlocking relation and abut squarely against the inner edges of the adjoining cleats, and means for securing the ends to the cleats.

In testimony whereof we allix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

LEE C. STEELE. ROSCOE STEELE.

WVitnesses:

L. V. COOK,

GEORGE OLTSCH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

